A Future Life
by HRHFelineQueen
Summary: One Shot VetinariVimes but not HavelockSam. Havelock enjoys the pleasures of indulgence with some consequences including a baby.


A future life

"Commander, so good of you to come. I see you have brought your family. I don't believe I have met you all recently."

Havelock Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh Morpork, greeted Sir Samuel Vimes, Duke of Ankh, Commander of Ankh Morpork City Watch, to the annual civic City Ball. Vimes smiled wanly and nodded quietly at his wife, Lady Sybil sighed,

"Havelock, this is Sam, Miria and John. Sam is twenty two, Miria is nineteen and John is sixteen."

The two tall young men bowed as Miria curtsied elegantly, Vetinari stared at her, a young woman in a simple dark blue silk dress. Her long dark hair framed her pale face, as she looked up at him, her eyes watching every movement yet were calm and serene.

Her elder brother Sam slipped away to his friends in a corner, who were watching the room with keen eyes. John moved carefully, towards his own friends, unobserved by his parents, as they were congregated on the other side of the room. Vimes went to stand in an unoccupied corner and Lady Sybil, after a hissed word with Vetinari, moved expansively towards her close friends from the dragon welfare sanctuary.

Therefore, Miria was left with Vetinari, who feeling nervous for the first time in many years, gestured towards a large table with gold décor chairs around it. He had not seen all of Vimes' children together for at least twelve years, Sam had been attending the Assassins Guild School and now was a working member, and John was now attending the Assassins Guild School. Miria had at first gone to the Assassins Guild School and then had worked as a part time 'seamstress' in the 'Seamstresses' Guild for certain customers.

This meant that he had been expecting slightly older versions of a tall, gangly, eleven year old boy with a dark mop of hair, Sam, an image from twelve years ago. A remote, averagely clever, ten-year-old girl with long dark thick hair in a heavy plait, Miria, an image from nine years ago and a clever, tall eleven-year-old boy with neat dark hair, John, an image from five years ago.

They sat round the table for most of the evening, Vetinari having been invited by Sybil to spend the evening with the family. Miria was mostly dancing with various young masculine members of society, though she did dance with Vetinari, Dr Downey and her father.

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Later that night when the ball had ended and everyone had returned home. Vetinari had started to write his diary, but he kept on thinking about a certain pale face with dark flowing hair and a beautiful voice. He couldn't get Miria out of his mind and all the reasons that stopped him liking her vanished when he saw her face including the one that he was at least thirty years older than her. Then he suddenly remembered that she worked as a 'seamstress' for specialised customers and in that case age was no matter.

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Next day early in the morning, Vetinari crossed the rooftops to 'Mrs.' Palm's lodgings. He went in by the window where she was waiting for him,

"Yes Havelock? What do you want?"

She asked quickly as he sat on the seat,

"I want to use your services with Miria, please Rosie."

He said quietly, Rosie looked at him and gave up,

"Why?"

She asked slowly, Vetinari sighed,

"I saw her last night and I want an excuse to have her near me. Rosie, please, I have actually found someone I want to try. I'll pay for a month upfront."

Rosie smiled and muttered,

"I'll ask her, she picks her customers." Vetinari nodded gratefully and sped back to the palace.

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"Miria, you were requested, will you take him on with a no talking basis?"

Rosie asked her quietly in the inner sanctum,

"Who, Why, When, How long and How much?"

Miria said quickly. Rosie sighed,

"Lord Havelock Vetinari. He asked for you. A month upfront and maybe further business if you both comply. AM$1,000,000 in total, meaning you receive AM$500,000."

Miria considered her options and nodded. Rosie breathed a sigh of relief and sent a pigeon direct to Vetinari.

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Vetinari made his way towards a secluded room in Rosie's lodging area. When he reached it he went straight to the bathroom to wipe off his colouring, then he sat in an easy chair by the bed. Miria knocked twice and opened the door. She was wearing a black off shoulder dress with a slit reaching mid thigh, her long hair left free. He gasped, Miria looked amazing,

"Why did you want me? I'm on a no talking basis by the way."

She asked quietly coming over to sit on the bed.

"You are not telling your family about the commission then."

He said smiling.

"Just answer the question please. You can ask me afterwards"

Miria replied while looking away, Vetinari sighed, saying,

"Miria, you are a beautiful young woman. Why shouldn't I want you?"

"I pick my customers, you have to ask Rosie or I won't even consider your offer. If I do you are either a friend of mine or have lots of money to offer me for my services."

Miria said in return, Vetinari stared at her; she was methodically assessing the situation. She coughed pointedly, he murmured

"Miria. I only met you as a full grown woman, two days ago, yet I like you so much to pay Rosie for cover. Do not tell your family, for your father will kill me whether I pay his wages or not. Please humour a man, about thirty years older than you who is paying you about AM$500,000."

She smiled, nodded smartly, closed the window and the curtains and lit a lamp. She sat back on the bed,

"How do you want to get to know me then, your Lordship?"

She asked, slowly lying back, Vetinari smiled and said,

"Well Miria, that so early? I do have the whole evening off."

Miria pulled him softly onto the bed beside her, smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips. He responded almost immediately with a returning soft kiss, as he was unused to that kind of attention and so they continued into the night.

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Miria strolled down the street unnoticed towards her home. As she reached it she realised her father was pacing the front lawn, she entered through the gates and stood demurely by the drive. Vimes ran towards her and stopped about a yard from her,

"Miria where have you been?"

He asked coldly as Miria smiled uneasily at him,

"Just out. Father, have you been worried about me?"

"Yes. Where were you?"

"At Rosie's place."

She smiled at her bewildered father and strode into the house to change.

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The month after, Miria met Vetinari in his deserted family town house; it was clean but very distinctly old. They met formally in the dining hall where the servants had prepared an excellent meal for two, then travelled into the drawing room, finishing in his old bedroom.

Miria gazed at the timeless décor, simple yet beautiful, however her mind was on other things.

"Father is suspicious of my 'gallivanting everywhere', as he puts it. He will set Angua or Buggy on me soon. What can I tell him? The truth will ruin him."

Vetinari sighed, Vimes was a suspicious man, and everyone knew that.

"Miria, tell him that the reason that you are out mostly is due to a secret which you will reveal to him eventually. As for Angua, she will know from my scent on you, whether or not she tells Vimes is up to you."

Miria nodded and then began to entwine herself to Vetinari. He smiled and embraced her.

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"Angua? Can I have a word?"

Cmdr Vimes asked her, as she was about to leave his office,

"Yes sir. What is it?"

"Well Miria has been behaving very oddly lately and I would like you to unofficially investigate."

"Sir?"

"See who she meets and where she goes? Thank you Angua."

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"Angua? Please?"

Miria cried,

"Miria? Why him? Out of anyone in the city why did it have to be him?"

"He chose me."

"With Rosie?"

"Yes but please don't tell father."

"Gods. I wondered why you stunk of him. Anyway you are going to have to leave town, go to Bonk. I won't tell but tell Mrs. Palm to let the people know and not worry so much."

"Thank you. I am in your debt." Miria left the alley with a grateful smile.

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"Open up! Rosie. Please."

Vimes yelled from the misty doorstep,

"What do you want Vimes?"

"Do you know where Miria is? She has been missing for 24 hours."

"I do not know but she is safe and well. She may be away for a while but you could possibly send messages along the Trunk for her. I will let you know if I hear from her."

Vimes collapsed against the doorpost so Capt Carrot and Angua took him home.

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"Sam? Are you alright?"

Lady Sybil bent over her husband, watched by Carrot and Angua.

"Miria? Sybil where is she?"

"I don't know, dear, but Angua does and says that she is safe. If she has gone then it is because she wants to be away."

Sybil raised Vimes' head off the sofa and offered him a drink of water. He gulped it down gratefully, staring at Angua,

"Why won't you tell me? She is my daughter."

"Sir, she wants to be alone, she is well and safe. Sir, I would tell you if you needed to know anything."

There was a knocking at the door; Mrs. Palm rose to answer it. She opened the door and gasped at the sight of a familiar figure.

"Miria! Where did you go? Why did you go? Whose is that?"

Rosie burst out, staring at the bedraggled girl. Miria drew back the blankets and showed Rosie the child in her arms. She smiled faintly at Rosie's bemused expression and held the boy close.

"He is my son."

She gasped, shivering in the rain. Rosie beckoned her inside and shut the door. Miria crossed the room and shut the window. She gazed at Rosie appealingly.

"You are only just twenty, Miria, whose is he?"

Rosie said sternly, Miria matched her gaze and her carefully blank face showed her answer.

"Very well. Miria go home."

Rosie sighed and handed Miria a spare coat. She took it gratefully and set off into the gloom.

At the Ramkin née Vimes house, dinner had started; Lady Sybil, Sir Samuel and Sam were seated around the table. Wilkins entered,

"Sirs, Ladyship, Miss Miriam has returned and she has a surprise for you."

He opened the door to reveal Miria, wet hair braided into a thick plait baring her face that was gazing down at the young child in her arms.

"Miria! Where have you been? Whose is that child? Why do you have it?"

Vimes exclaimed, Sam who had jumped up, sagged back into his seat. Sybil rose and went over to her daughter, hugged her and looked with interest at the boy.

"Father, Mother, Sam, this is my son, Mark. He is one year old. I am sorry for worrying you all. I was in Uberwald and I did not dare to travel with him being so young."

Miria said calmly, watching her father carefully as he stood gasping at the strange news.

"Miria. Who is the father?"

Vimes said restrainedly. Miria smiled and watched her mother as she had taken Mark to the fire to warm him. Sam went to embrace his sister, unsure of the situation as Vimes simmered angrily over Miria's non-existent answer.

"Commander, I trust you are well. How are Lady Sybil and the family? I hear that Lady Miriam has returned?"

Lord Vetinari smiled at Vimes and Captain Carrot as they entered the Oblong office.

"They are all fine. Yes, she returned last night, from Uberwald, along with…"

Vimes sighed distractedly,

"…Mark."

The Patrician looked up quizzically, eyebrows raised. Carrot smiled, as Vimes answered,

"Her son, which she has acquired while she was away."

"I apologise, I didn't know of the birth. Did you know of it, your grace; you seem to be very resigned of the fact? Please pass on my regards to her and Lady Sybil as a new grandmother."

The Patrician slipped smoothly back into the intended conversation.

Vetinari changed into a suit of non-descript grey and informed Drumknott of his immediate absence. He slipped out of the window and crossed the rooftops to the Ramkin née Vimes estate. He went to a secluded place surrounded by willow trees, sat, and waited.

Miria knew he would be waiting for her; she changed into a light grey cotton dress and made her way to the Willow Grove. She sat quietly on the shrouded stone bench and said slowly yet quietly,

"Yes. He is yours. Do you even dare to think that I would be unfaithful?"

Havelock stepped into the moonlight and sighed as he sat down next to her,

"Miria, I am old enough to be your father, yet you chose to accept my offer. Why did you have him?"

"You are younger than my father, you were at school when he was working. I am not going to kill an innocent child because you were careless. I like you but I am not going to kill a child for you especially as you paid for him."

Miria replied, her voice equally as quiet as his. Havelock moved his arm round the girl's body beside him and she responded by leaning against him.

"Does anyone know about us Miria?"

He asked after a while, Miria shook her head,

"No one except Angua and a few Uberwaldians."

"With whom did you stay with in Uberwald?"

He asked, unsure of the reply.

"Lady Margolotta, she insisted. Said that she was glad that you had someone younger with the same lifespan."

Miria said slowly, smiling at Havelock's expression.

"I cannot fathom life without you." A half smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as inside he grinned.

"Miria, who is the father of Mark? Why did you go away?"

Vimes asked his daughter for the millionth time. Miria smiled and carried on pinning up her hair, she was getting ready to attend Lady Selachi's annual Ball. Vimes was proud of his children but they could be annoying especially Miria. Sybil had advised him not to pester her and she would tell them eventually. Then Miria said,

"Father I went away to have Mark in peace because I knew what your reaction would be. I will not tell you who the father is because I know what would be your reaction to it."

Miria told him firmly, then left her parents room and went to her own to change. Vimes sat down and thought of his possible reaction to any possible father of Mark, if he was about her age and had openly married her it would have been fine but if there was an age gap, was not planning to marry her or it was related to a 'Seam-stress' job then admittedly he would be angry.

Miria smiled at Vetinari as Lady Sybil again requested him as an escort for her. Sybil was now despairing over her daughter's lack of social indulgence in the masculine area. Vetinari bowed to Sybil and politely went over to the bar to get Miria a drink.

When they were reasonably alone, Vetinari spoke,

"Who is looking after Mark?"

"Rosie. Said she wanted to see what maternity felt like."

They smiled at each other, and then took to the dance floor as a reasonably unromantic song came on. They circled once then returned to their seats.

Across the room Sam was standing with his friends,

"Do you know who the father is yet?

"No but it is probably a 'Seam-stress' job or she would of told us."

Both Vetinari and Miria left early from the ball but then met up at midnight on his old family estate. Vetinari was uncertain of the future now he had a son and a woman. His life had been turned upside down within two years, which had flown past. Wrapping her in his arms and pressing a fleeting kiss to her lips Vetinari welcomed her home properly.

"Do you want to tell them Miria?"

"I would like to tell my brother, Sam, he could help us."

"With what?" Vetinari purred into her ear,

"The consequences of your heir Havelock. He must have a father, having just uncles and a grandfather will not do."

"Would you marry me so that Mark knew his father as his father?"

"No, I would marry you because I love you and I know you love me, it is just a bonus that Mark could know you as his father."

"Move into the Palace, become my personal advisor, bring Mark with you. We'll get married, tell only Drumknott and Sam then the next social occasion, Rosie can look after Mark if her presence isn't required and we'll be announced to the social circles as Lord and Lady Vetinari." They smiled at the fancy but then Havelock kneeled in front of her,

"Marry me, Miriam Sybil Ramkin Vimes, say that you'll marry me."

This is an old story of mine that I found again.

Thanks to Big Cat who is good at constructive criticism but this is an old story and the plot bunny is asleep. I know it's a bit stupid but well.

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